Category: Model Yachting

Model Expo Sunday

Some random pics from Sunday at the 2010 Helsinki Model Expo.

The two 1:10RC scale yachts look nice, but must take an enormous amount of time to build, and are 140cm long and weigh 10kg (like a 1970-80s Marblehead?). All of which contrasts quite strongly with the MicroMagic, where presumably some of the better sailing this season will take place. We had one PIKANTO hull and some components on display, but we really don't have a handle on producing these hulls or parts at a rate or cost that would make it possible to sell or market them (yet?).

Some lathes, and a miniature Proxxon machine-park, on display. But nothing running EMC2 or the size/speed/awasomeness that would have raised my interest further. If I finish the lathe this summer I think something like a hexapod must be next on the todo-list...

1090 euros (about 1450 USD!) seems a bit steep for a MakerBot CupCake kit, which seems to cost about 750-950 USD elsewhere (googling gets me here or here or review-here). Unfortunately this kind of pricing is quite common with companies that import stuff. I won't miss these companies when they go out of business because everyone (sane) orders directly from Germany/USA/China/etc.

In a normal BLDC motor the windings are stationary on the outside, and a permanent-magnet rotor in the middle rotates. On outrunners this is reversed: the windings are stationary in the middle, and a rotor with permanent magnets is on the outside. The pictures here and here show a DIY electric motor I had not seen before. Both the windings and the permanent magnets rotate, in opposite directions. They are coupled to two propellers which rotate in opposite directions, and it apparently works quite well!

Model Expo 2010 setup

It's time for this years Model Expo in the Helsinki convention center. We set up some boats yesterday and will have Micro Magic, IOM, 5.5mrc, and as a new thing for this year 1:10RC-boats on display. The big 1:10 boats (behind the table against the wall) are built by a local enthusiast fairly accurately to scale, length ca 140cm, weight 10kg, with pretty big/sturdy fittings by modern racing radiosailing-standards.

MicroMagic sailing in the pool will be the main radio-sailing attraction as usual.

Eyebolt machining

Jari has been making eyebolts in brass and stainless steel with the cnc mill. These are M3 bolts with a hole/eye on the end. They are bolted to the deck of model yachts and provide attachment points for the jib, shrouds, and backstay.

Deck Mould Modification

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As I mentioned earlier, the flanges around the foredeck openings were very time-consuming to laminate around, and very hard to release from the mould. Here I've ground them down with a pneumatic dremel-type grinder, and then sandpapered a bit. Next I need to fix a few dents in the gelcoat, wet-sand, and polish. Then we should be ready to mould hull nr 5 next weekend.

Ferrari Four

Jari made another red hull while I was in the USA.

The flanges around the openings in the foredeck have proven hard or very hard to release from the mould, so I've now cut them down from the deck mould. From hull nr 5 onwards (another red one I hear) there will be no built-in flanges in the foredeck. The flanges do stiffen the deck a lot, but they make the whole foredeck difficult to laminate, and hard to release - so away they went!

Steel Fin Moulds

Jari machined these steel fin moulds for the PIKANTO over the weekend. The fin will be moulded with a clear glecoat, one 200g carbon layer as a surface layer, and one 250g/m2 UHM UD carbon layer. We are going to use either cnc-machined balsa cores, or a 2-component epoxy foam core. The bulb attaches with an M3 threaded rod which will be moulded into the lower end of the fin. At the boat end we'll insert a metal piece with M4 threads so the fin can be attached to the boat with an M4 hex screw.